By: Dave Abrahams
Cape Town – Triumph’s all-new-for-2016 range of retro bikes landed in Cape Town at the weekend amid more than a fanfare.
They were accompanied by the classic rock sounds of Black Box at a biker party of note, attended by several hundred Triumph fans, riding everything from original 1960s Bonnevilles to early Hinckley triples, to the latest streetfighters.
Among them was Polo Arnaiz from Madrid, who packed up his job in 2013, shipped his Tiger 800 to Miami and, carrying only a change of clothing, a sleeping bag and a tent, set off to Inuvik in north-west Canada – then turned around and rode to Ushuaia at the southernmost tip of Argentina. He has now ridden the Tiger more than 100 000km in some of the wildest places of the world – that’s it in the final picture of our gallery.
By contrast, the new ‘modern classic’ Triumphs are strictly urban warriors. Forced by ever-tightening EU regulations to go to liquid cooling, they retain the signature fins and widely splayed exhaust ports of the 1960s with narrow radiators neatly nestled between the frame downtubes.
STREET TWIN
The entry-level twin is more about feel than it is about looks, so it comes with cast wheels, disc brakes, ABS and an all-new fuel-injected, eight-valve 899cc parallel twin with a 270-degree crankshaft for extra bottom end torque and that characteristic lumpy idle.
Power is actually down from the previous 865cc air-cooled models at 40.5kW compared to 50.2kW, but it’s delivered at a very accessible 5900rpm, and torque is up from 68 to 80Nm at 3230 for a stonking mid-range, while kerb weight is down from 225 to 217kg. It sells for R129 500 and it’s the red bike in our gallery.
BONNEVILLE T120
A new take on the classic British twin, the T120 has been bored out to 97.6mm for 1197cc, giving it a no-nonsense 59kW at 6550 and 105Nm at 3100rpm, on a somewhat porky kerb weight of 239kg.
Its styling pays homage to the iconic 1959 Bonnie with chromed cast-alloy badges on a two-tone fuel tank with rubber knee pads, spoked wheels, straight pipes and (almost) straight dual seat. It moves right up to date, however, with ABS, ride-by-wire throttle, switchable traction control, two riding modes, heated grips, an immobiliser and a USB charging port for your favoured electronic addiction – the last two of which say more about the world we live in than they do about the bike.
Wanna make a statement? Opt for the T120 Black in several designer shades of very, very off-white. Prices for both T120s start at R147 500.
THRUXTON
The café-racer Thruxton’s ‘big-twin’ engine has a lightened crankshaft and special air-box, and is tuned for 72kW at 6750 revs, backed by 112Nm at 4950rpm. It features a 17 inch front wheel, three riding modes, clip-on handlebars, a flip-up alloy fuel cap, and aluminium bar-end mirrors, rims and swing-arm. Kerb weight is 218kg and prices start at R154 500
The café racers of the 1960s loved to upgrade their bikes with the finest components money could buy, so Hinckley has done it for you with the Thruxton R, including 43mm Showa inverted big-piston forks, Ohlins piggyback shocks and dual Brembo radial-mount four-piston callipers on 310mm discs. Weight is up to 221kg and prices to R174 500.
FACTS
Triumph Street Twin
Engine:899c liquid-cooled parallel twin.
Bore x stroke:84.6 x 80mm.
Compression ratio:10.55:1.
Valvegear: DOHC with four overhead valves per cylinder.
Power:40.5kW at 5900rpm.
Torque:80Nm at 3230rpm.
Induction: Multipoint sequential electronic fuel-injection.
Ignition: Digital electronic.
Starting: Electric.
Clutch: Cable-operated multiplate wet clutch.
Transmission: Five-speed constant-mesh gearbox with final drive by chain.
Front Suspension:41mm Kayaba conventional cartridge forks.
Rear Suspension: Kayaba shock absorbers adjustable for preload.
Front brakes:310mm disc with Nissin dual-piston floating calliper and ABS.
Rear brake:255mm disc with dual-piston floating calliper and ABS.
Front tyre:100/80 - 18 tubeless.
Rear tyre:150/70 - 17 tubeless.
Wheelbase:1415mm.
Seat height:750mm.
Kerb weight:217kg.
Fuel tank:12 litres.
Price: R129 500.
Triumph Bonneville T120 and T120 Black
Engine:1197c liquid-cooled parallel twin.
Bore x stroke:97.6 x 80mm.
Compression ratio:10:1.
Valvegear: DOHC with four overhead valves per cylinder.
Power:59.0kW at 6550rpm.
Torque:105Nm at 3100rpm.
Induction: Multipoint sequential electronic fuel-injection.
Ignition: Digital electronic.
Starting: Electric.
Clutch: Cable-operated multiplate wet clutch.
Transmission: Six-speed constant-mesh gearbox with final drive by chain.
Front Suspension:41mm Kayaba conventional cartridge forks.
Rear Suspension: Kayaba shock absorbers adjustable for preload.
Front brakes: Dual 310mm discs with Nissin dual-piston floating callipers and ABS.
Rear brake:255mm disc with dual-piston floating calliper and ABS.
Front tyre:100/90 - 18 tubeless.
Rear tyre:150/70 - 17 tubeless.
Wheelbase:1445mm.
Seat height:785mm.
Kerb weight:239g.
Fuel tank:14.5 litres.
Price: R147 500.
Triumph Thruxton (R in brackets)
Engine:1197c liquid-cooled parallel twin.
Bore x stroke:97.6 x 80mm.
Compression ratio:11:1.
Valvegear: DOHC with four overhead valves per cylinder.
Power:72.0kW at 6750rpm.
Torque:112Nm at 4950rpm.
Induction: Multipoint sequential electronic fuel-injection.
Ignition: Digital electronic.
Starting: Electric.
Clutch: Cable-operated multiplate wet clutch.
Transmission: Six-speed constant-mesh gearbox with final drive by chain.
Front Suspension:41mm Kayaba conventional cartridge forks (43mm Showa inverted cartridge forks adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping).
Rear Suspension: Kayaba shock absorbers adjustable for preload (Ohlins gas-charged piggyback shock absorbers adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping).
Front brakes: Dual 310mm discs with Nissin dual-piston floating callipers (Brembo radial mount opposed-piston monoblock callipers) and ABS.
Rear brake:220mm disc with dual-piston floating calliper and ABS.
Front tyre:120/70 - 17 tubeless.
Rear tyre:160/60 - 17 tubeless.
Wheelbase:1415mm.
Seat height:810mm.
Kerb weight:218kg (221kg).